The present invention relates generally to containers, and more particularly to containers which are adapted for stacking in vertically aligned adjacency.
The container herein proposed is useful in the collection, storage and transport of a variety of bulk materials, but is particularly suited for use in handling materials which exhibit potentially dangerous or offensive properties. Specifically, the present invention is adapted for use in handling infectious medical waste. Such waste, when not properly isolated from the public may lead to a health hazard. The odor or appearance of medical waste may also be offensive if not properly contained. When handling such a material, containers may serve to isolate the material from the public, curtailing problems associated with its potentially dangerous or offensive properties.
Containers also serve to maximize the use of available space during transport or storage of bulk materials, keeping such materials in an orderly arrangement. Toward this end, containers have been developed which are stackable, one on top of the other. Such stackability has generally been achieved by simply providing the containers with substantially flat top and bottom surfaces, the containers thus being stackable by placing the bottom of one container on the top of another.
One problem with containers of the foregoing type, however, concerns the difficulties associated with aligning the containers upon vertical stacking of the same. Vertical alignment of the containers is often left to the eye of an individual and is therefore rarely precise. An upper container may, for example, be placed atop a lower container in an offset position, leaving a portion of the upper container hanging over the edge of the lower container. This offset may, in turn, result in an unstable stack, and consequently in the spilling or dumping of the containers.
Use of known stackable containers may also result in an unstable container stack due to the limited opposition to relative transverse motion of such containers when in stacked arrangement. Prior art containers have addressed this problem by providing latch mechanism by which containers may be secured to one another. Such an arrangement, however, requires an additional step when stacking or unstacking containers and is therefore undesirable.
The problems associated with stacking containers are compounded where the containers to be stacked are wheeled. Such containers not only present a problem relating to the compatibility of adjacent surfaces, but also with respect to the opposition to relative transverse motion.
Known wheeled containers, when stacked, would simply roll off the container therebelow. Another problem with prior art stackable containers relates to the ability of such containers to support the weight of the containers stacked thereon. In order to support above-stacked containers, prior art containers have commonly been constructed of sturdy materials such as steel. Alternatively, containers have been formed with lids which are thick enough to support the above-stacked containers. Prior art containers have thus been relatively heavy, adding to the cost and the difficulty in handling the containers.
It is therefore desired to provide an improved container adapted for stacking in aligned vertical adjacency with similar containers.